Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1887-03-17

the widows and orphans of those
who have fallen in battle have 8
just claim upon the care, protection
and gratitude of their fellow citizens.
In the platform of 1880 and 1884
no mention is made of the soldiers
or of the widows and the orphans.
In 1880 Democratic soldier was
asked to go to the country on a plat
form that ignored the men who had
fought under him, and in 1884 the
Democratic party went a step further
and put a candidate who had never
expressed any sympathy for the
soldiers on a platform that made
no mention of the soldiers work
and contained no recognition of
the soldiers merit, but with this
candidate and this platform a
strong appeal was made for soldier
votes, and many of these went to
swell the narrow majority by
which Mr.. Cleveland was elected
to the Presidency.
1t will be seen that there have
been several distinct eras in the
history of the Democratic party
in its relations to the Union soldiers.
In 1864 the party was ayowedly
hostile to the prosecution of the
war and soldiers were denounced,
as Lincolns hirelings. In 1868
the Democratic party could not get
It's own consent to mention the
work or to recognize the merit
of the soldiers who had fought
the war to successful conclusion.
In 1872 the Democratic party as it
had existed previously to that time
broke up and the fragments came
together under a new banner.
This was the banner of liberalism
and on a platform recognizing the
merit of the soldier the party put an
old Republican and a friend of the
soldier.
This was the beginning Of new
policy or new era and the same
sort Of an experiment was tried
in 1876, when Mr.. Tilden was nom
mated on a platform recognizing
the merit of and containing an APP
peal to the patriotism of the Union
soldiers. In 1880 there was another
change of front aud the party
counting on the splendid reputation
of General Hancock went into the
campaign on platform that ignored
the soldiers. In four years more
so much progress mad been made
in cementing an alliance with the
ex-Confederates that the Democratic
party could afford to ignore the
Union sentiment both in its candi-
date and its platform. Less than
three years have passed and such
progress has been made on the line
marked out that Democratic organs
North and South abuse and villify
the Union soldier without stint, and
the President making his acknowl-
edgement of Indebtedness to his
Southern allies throws his official
and personal influence squarely
against the soldier, and with aid
Of the Democratic contingent in the
South dragoous even the old Union
Democrats into the support Of his
veto.
If this reactionary impulse Of
the Democratic party continues it
may be assumed that there will be a
a plank in the platform of the con-
vention called to renominate Mr.
Cleveland that will read like this:
Resolscd, That the so-called Democratic Con-
ventions Of tST2 and 1876 misreprescntcl the
Democrats OF this country in pledgiug friend
ship aud support TO the Federal soldiers of the
war; that the men who entered the Union
army were no more patriotic and are no more
deserving of remembrance and respect than
those who entered the Confederate army; that
for The most part the soldiers OF the Federal
army were mercenarics gathered from the
slums Of society, and that those who now ask
for the assistance of the government are no
better than ysgabonds and professional mendi-
cants and we heartily inaorse the messages OF
President Cleveland which have prevented the
expenditure of money I'm the payment of iu-
creased pensions; that it becomes the duty of
the Democratic party at this late day TO put on
record an official recognition Of tue sense of
obligation il has rested under for SO many
years 70 tho leaders Of the rebellion ana the
men who supported them in their fight for
principle; that we remember with gratitude
the hcroism and sacrahcos OF the soldiers and
sailors Of the Southern Confederacy and that
mo- act of ours shall ever detract from their
justly earned fame or the fun reward Of their
patriotism; that we are unalterably opposed
70 the payment in any shape or form of PEN
sions to the survivors of the Federal armies, rs
we hold that they are no more entitled 70 the
gratitude of the Democratic party than were
the men who SO hrayoly fought against them
If the Louisville Courier journal
and the Chicago Times and other
papers of that class are called upon
to join President Cleveland in
writing a platform for the Demo
cracy in 1888, something ike the
above Or something going further
than the above will be, possibly, one
of the conspicuous features.-Intsr